Hayman hopes to go out with a bang

 

The defending champions face French rivals Clermont in Saturday's Champions Cup Final at Twickenham.

 

No side has won three straight European titles, with New Zealand's Crusaders, who won three successive Super Rugby crowns from 1998-2000, the only club to have completed a comparable feat.

 

Saturday's match has an extra edge as club captain Hayman, capped 45 times by the All Blacks from 2001-2007, is one of several Toulon players who is retiring at the end of the season.

 

The others being former Test locks Ali Williams (New Zealand) and Bakkies Botha (South Africa),

 

"It always means a lot," the 35-year-old Hayman told a Twickenham news conference.

 

"This is why we are here, this is why we train to get to this stage and make a Final and to have the chance of winning."

 

Hayman added: "There are a lot of guys leaving at the end of this year but that is not going to win us the match. 

 

"Being concentrated on our performance is going to go a long way to seeing us to victory tomorrow [Saturday]. 

 

"It would mean a lot but I try not to think about that too much."

 

As for matching the Crusaders' treble, Hayman said: "If we are able to win a third [European] title on Saturday, I'm sure this team will go down as one of the greats.

 

"Toulon have had a core of guys who've been together for a good amount of time now, so I guess you could draw similarities with the Crusaders who had that great run a while ago."

 

Asked about his time in France, Hayman, who made his name at the Highlanders before joining English Premiership side Newcastle after the 2007 World Cup, said: "It's been an amazing experience for me. 

 

"It's been five years now since I've moved to Toulon and in that time I've experienced a lot on the rugby field and also a lot off the rugby field.

 

"Learning a new language, meeting new people, experiencing a culture that's a bit different to ours in New Zealand – it's been an amazing experience and sadly it's going to come to an end, but that's life. 

 

"It's been amazing, some of the memories I've had with this team, memories that are going to stay with me for life," the tighthead prop added.